Rolls out LA 2.0 to highlight key events to attract visitors
Los Angeles expects arrival of 110,000 Indian travelers in 2023 and anticipates the full recovery to pre-pandemic levels in 2024, Adam Burke, President & CEO, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (Los Angeles Tourism) said in Mumbai during a media interaction. The destination welcomed 130,000 Indians in 2019 resulting in US$305 million contribution to the local economy.
Burke was in India last month with Don Skeoch, Chief Marketing Officer; Kathryn Smits, Senior Vice President, Global Tourism Development, Chris Heywood, Senior Vice President, Global Communications with Seema Kadam, Regional Director of India.
The team was in India to tap the potential of the Indian outbound market around key milestone events such as the 100th anniversaries of the Hollywood Sign, Warner Bros. Studios, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the iconic Millennium Biltmore Hotel and the 15th anniversary of LA Tourism’s signature dining program, Dine LA.
Los Angeles Tourism was the first US destination marketing organization to open its own full-time office in India in 2019. We have plans to expand our India regional office this year with the addition of new staff, Burke revealed.
He also highlighted new openings and infrastructure developments in Los Angeles in 2023 and beyond referred as LA 2.0.
LA 2.0 is rolled out with new places to stay, award-winning dining experiences, vibrant attractions, advanced infrastructure projects and more across the city offering countless exciting new experiences to explore, the release issued by LA Tourism said adding that the Board looks forward to rolling out the red carpet for visitors from India.
Los Angeles has seen tremendous opportunities to support the growth of the travel industry in India – particularly given how much communities are in common between India and Los Angeles.
Burke also mentioned that beyond the long-standing connection between Bollywood and Hollywood as global leaders for cinema and the creative arts, Angelenos and Indians enjoy a shared love of sport, innovative cuisine, and spectacular natural beauty. Los Angeles has come up with an exciting range of new activities and attractions, making it a perfect time to visit Los Angeles as they celebrate Hollywood’s Centennial throughout 2023.
On the infrastructure front, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is in the midst of a US$14 billion capital improvement project at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The LAX modernization program is considered the largest public works program in the history of the City of Los Angeles.
The project included a new Tom Bradley International Terminal with new aircraft gates (including 12 new gates that can accommodate larger aircraft) and concourse areas as well as several major airfield and facility projects.
Under construction now is a new 2.25-mile Automated People Mover (APM), a consolidated rental car facility and a link to Metro’s public rail system. The APM is expected to open in 2024.
LA’s Metro system is also expanding, serving the Crenshaw, Inglewood and Westchester areas with eight new stations; the Regional Connector Transit Project improving connections between East Los Angeles and the Beach Cities with three new stations, thus helping Los Angeles to serve global visitors with more efficient transportation options.
On the hotel accommodations front, Los Angeles added 5,000 new hotel rooms to its supply over the last two years, bringing the total hotel inventory in LA to 120,000 rooms.
